- This topic has 4 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 19 years, 9 months ago by
.
-
Sarah has not been napping at home lately as well as she does at daycare. I have a few guesses why this might be, but I thought I’d get some opinions…
During the week, most days I have to wake Sarah up to take her to daycare. One or two days a week she is already awake and talking in her crib when I get to her, but I know if I left her alone she’d go back to sleep for a little while longer. So my guess is that (like adults) she is more tired during the week because she didn’t wake up 100% on her own so she’s more drowsy during the day? She takes 2 naps at daycare that are 2-4 hours long EACH and sleeps 12 hours at night. At home on the weekends, I usually leave her in her crib to talk and play for 30 minutes or so until either I’m ready to get up, or she starts to get fussy. So she’s FULLY awake and ready to go by the time I get her.
At daycare she naps in the bedroom downstairs where it is pretty dark. At home, her room has a lot of sunlight. Could the brightness be a problem? I have put blankets over her windows to “trial” the darkness theory this weekend but I feel weird putting her in a not naturally dark room. Does anyone else darken their babies windows?
Just thought I’d get some opinions. My mom thinks Sarah doesn’t sleep as much for us because she KNOWS DH and I are home and she wants to be with us. That sounds a little silly to me and I really don’t think that’s the reason. That makes it sound like she’s depressed at daycare so she sleeps a lot there. (which she’s not!)
Anyway, just wanted some input. Also, randomly over the past 3 weeks Sarah has started waking up CRYING 2-3 hours after she’s put down for bed. Last night I think it was reflux related.
She had settled down on me back to sleep and I heard her reflux and she woke up screaming! Thank goodness for Mylanta!Thanks!
First let me say. Sarah is soooo cute. Does she have red hair.
Okay, first of all have you tryed the darkness yet and does it work? I don’t know anything about sleeping since I can’t get Justice to sleep well. There are days he will sleep for a good 2 hrs for a nap, but most days it is only 30mins. I can’t figure out what is different. I will say though that she might be waking at night due to seperation anxiety. I just read in the no cry sleep solution that if a baby is away from you during the day they might wake more at night. She might be afraid that you have left or even dream that you have left and wake up. Who knows? Just a guess. I wish I had all the answers. You might want to try getting the no cry sleep solution from your library and see if it helps. I am trying to read it right now, but it is taking some time since Justice doesn’t sleep well. Good luck.
I darken my kids’ rooms and I do think it helps them sleep better. I use room darkening fabric which works really well.
I think a big part of why she sleeps better at daycare may be the darker room, but also she’s probably more tired because she gets up earlier those days, and she probably gets more stimulation at daycare (not that you don’t play with her at home) so she’s more tired. Also, babies tend to “behave” better with caregivers other than their parents. When she’s home on weekends she’s probably so happy to be with you and so as soon as she begins to stir in her sleep she thinks, “I want to see mommy.” so she doesn’t go back to sleep. At daycare even though she’s happy there and well cared for she doesn’t have as much to look forward to you (what could be more exciting to an infant than being with mommy) so she can drift back to sleep more easily when she stirs and so she sleeps longer.
Well, that’s my theory! I think your mom is right!! She wants to be with you and she’s excited to wake up and be with you on weekends but that doesn’t mean she’s depressed at daycare…just that she prefers you, which she should.
Thanks everyone! The darkened room didn’t really help her sleep longer today, but I think it helped her to fall asleep faster. She slept for an hour this morning and an hour this afternoon but she pooped during her afternoon nap and I think that woke her up prematurely.
I’m anxious to see if the darkened room helps tomorrow.I guess it is possible that she knows I’m home and doesn’t want to sleep. I know that she loves me, knows who I am, and is excited to see me when I pick her up…she’s just NOT a cuddly baby so it’s not like we spend all of our time snuggling when she’s home with me. I guess that’s why I find it hard to believe that she misses me so much when she sleeps??? That probably sounds stupid.
Yes, I do think that Sarah is going to have red hair…like her mommy…but it really looks different colors in certain light. It almost always photographs red but it looks more blondish brown in natural light?? Who knows! I’ll be anxious to see!
Thanks again!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
